If your garden path is in a state of disrepair, don’t despair!  A great way to give a path a more informal appearance, and to cheaply and easily replace that cracked and crumbling pointing, is by using plants to fill the gaps.  Scrape or chisel out all the mortar from the joints, ideally back to bare earth (or the free draining sub-base if one exists), and top up the joints with a good quality topsoil or water-retaining compost (such as potting compost). Then simply plug with the ground cover plant of your choice. A number of species are great for this: creeping thyme gives off a wonderful scent when walked on, while sempervirums looks great all year long.

Important things to consider are the amount of traffic the path is likely to see and the plant’s requirements for water. Delicate species will not survive long if they are trampled underfoot by hordes of kids on a daily basis and any plant that sits alongside hard landscaping – be it a wall or paving – will find itself competing with the adjacent surface material for water. Most porous materials, such as brick, stone and concrete, will absorb a certain amount of water, so in periods of little rain thirsty plants will suffer. Make sure whatever planting you choose does not have a high water requirement.

A reason to venture down the garden, a cosy retreat, workshop, gym, children’s playhouse or artist’s studio.  There are endless possibilities and reasons for a garden building.  What is it about them that have made them an enduring feature of our gardens?

 For the purposes of this article, the definition of a garden building is a structure that has a roof, rather than pergolas and gazebos for instance, which are more open by nature.

The love affair with the garden building began in Britains’ estates with structures such as the garden grotto.

The garden grotto dates back initially to Italian and then later to French gardens of the 16^th century.  In these warmer climes the grotto had a number of functions, as a place to retreat from the sun often featuring baths, and sometimes they even served as chapels.  The word grotto relates to any artificial or natural cave that is associated with humans.  Whereas the outside of grottoes might be architectural in form or designed to have the appearance of an rocky outcrop; inside would be an Aladdin’s cave, a temple or fountains,stalactites and even imitation gems and shells (sometimes made in ceramic); mermaids, mythological subjects suited to the space: river gods whose urns overflowed into pools. Examples of grottos in England can be found in the gardens of Painshill Park, Stowe, Clandon Park and Stourhead.

 The 18^th century saw the hermitage at the heart of the estate, an essential part of the landscape promoted by the likes of Capability Brown and Humphrey Repton.  The hermitage was seen as a landlord’s desire for a retreat, for getting back to nature.  Also popular during the 18^th century were follies.  These were decorative buildings which were constructed purely for ornamental value and could not be used as real buildings.  They often resembled Chinese temples, Egyptian pyramids or ruined abbeys.

 Similarly temples were a predominant feature of the landscape of an estate.  Inspired by visits to Europe on the Grand Tour temples acted as focal points to the magnificent vistas of many an estate.  Fine examples of the garden temple can be seen at Stourhead, Stowe, Rievaulx Terrace, Painshill Park, Mount Edgcumbe or Studley Royal Water Garden.

On a smaller scale garden buildings have always been a prominent feature in our gardens.  Whether it be as an allotment shed or artist’s studio, the garden building has become an increasingly stylish and or practical feature of the contemporary garden.

What is it that makes a garden building so appealing?  From childhood we strive to create places to hide and to play in.  From the sheet over the washing line, to the shonkily constructed tree house, it is instinctive in many of us to create our own, unique hide-away.  It’s the childlike sense of adventure and exploration that remains within us into adulthood to a greater or lesser degree.  The term ‘outdoor room’ may have become clichéd but it is a concept that has been popular for some time.  Sissinghurst Castle in Kent has garden rooms, screens of mature hedging create an enclosed, sheltered space to relax within and enjoy a feeling of privacy.  So the outdoor room that is so popular now also benefits from our need for another sheltered hiding place or again like the hermitage a place where we feel a connection with the outside world with the added benefit of enclosure.

 Is the garden building as an outdoor office, additional room, studio or gym becoming more common place due to our ever expanding population?  Particularly in our cities and towns more demands are being placed on our built environment as property developers snatch at pockets of land and our houses bulge outwards, upwards and now commonly downwards.   London garden design in particular has seen an upsurge of these outdoor rooms.

Garden buildings range from smaller structures that could be used as a children’s playhouse/tree house, a peaceful place for meditation or a location for a spot of al fresco dining, to the more permanent solutions ideal for outdoor offices, or as an additional room: an extension of your house.  The smaller structures come in a variety of forms.  Many are spherical or pod-like and are constructed from glass, timber and steel.  Another spherical product on the market is a rotating spherical structure.  This garden structure checks one more requirement off the designer’s wish list which is movement in the garden.  This is conventionally through the organic movement of a plant in the breeze.  In the case of the orb its movement is down to the discretion of the user who has the choice of rotating it by hand to either follow the sun or seek shade or alternatively to make the most of a chosen vista.  These are ideal for the smaller London garden.  Similarly suitable for the smaller plot are the more hand crafted timber structure which may have shingle or thatch roofed or perhaps have timber sides with portholes.

Due to the style and nature of the construction materials, they are often more at home in a jungle-like or tropical garden.  These structures certainly fulfil our desire for play within the garden.  Still of the same approximate dimensions are cube shaped structures, again, open sided these structures offer you with a chill out space, somewhere to dine or a den-like space where children could host a sleep over.

A Garden building that will never lose its appeal is the timeless treehouse.  Traditionally built by a doting Dad or granddad, over recent years the humble treehouse has been launched into another stratosphere… and price bracket!  Some companies even offer a treehouse building service without you even having to supply the tree.  The height of luxury can be achieved with glazing, plumbing and electricity, wood burning stoves, the list goes on.  These tree top fortresses maintain their appeal for a number of reasons, where can you hide –away from parents more effectively than halfway up a tree.  Obviously half the fun is in the entering and exiting of the treehouse whether it is up a rope ladder or down a fireman’s pole.  Child-friendly gardens can be done in a number ways and do not have to have a negative impact on the look of the garden.

Garden buildings can be either positioned as a focal point, clearly visible from the house or hidden partially or fully from view.  They can be a sculptural statement, stark counterpoint to the surroundings or in a more minimalistic space they can complement the landscape.  They can also blend into their surroundings.  If the latter is to be done successfully then choice of material, positioning within the garden and integration with the landscaping of the garden is vital.

 If you are considering a garden building there are a number of factors you may wish to consider.  Firstly, its visual impact as previously discussed.  Secondly, some more practical considerations.  If you are considering a garden building then the materials used in construction should be carefully considered as they may have on-going maintenance implications.  A timber framed building, for example, will require scheduled maintenance every 2-3 years.

 If it’s a garden office or extra outdoor room you are after many companies offer either modular or bespoke solutions, from a modest starting price in the region of a few thousand to however much you can afford.  The more high-end solutions offer separate rooms such as a kitchen, and can be up to four storeys if required.  Again, another practical consideration is whether planning permission will be required.  Some of the more heavily constructed bespoke solutions can be used as a conservatory or free standing and offer endless possibilities such as the inclusion of balconies and external decking.  These solutions may certainly require planning permission which some companies process on your behalf as part of the cost of the building.

 After something a bit different?  The possibilities are endless, a structure made out of bottles for instance, or perhaps a timber structure that doubles as a sculptural playhouse for children

Since the early nineties, having a water feature in your garden has been considered the height of fashion.  The sight and sound of water in a garden have a positive effect on our mind and spirits, soothing the soul and creating stunning reflections of whatever surrounds it. Garden Design in London can especially benefit from a water feature, as its gentle sounds can help mask traffic and city noises. Whatever your circumstance and budget there is a water feature for you.

The range of possible water features in a garden is vast and can include anything from a swimming pool to a sunken rill, a water wall to a small spout or fountain. The style can be formal, modern, traditional or naturalistic and can utilise a wide variety of materials including plastic, glass and stone. Planning is essential for a water feature, both to ensure proper functionality (water can be difficult to tame) and to integrate it with the overall garden design.  The best water features are not inserted as an afterthought.

Some water features (although not all) can have complex pump and filtration systems, and even small ponds will need some movement to prevent the water becoming unpleasantly stagnant. Hot tubs and swimming pools will need chemical treatment to make them safe for human use. Building regulations and local by-laws (in the UK at least) require that all electrical installation (including pond pumps) in a garden should be carried out and certificated by a qualified electrician, although if you do not permanently wire the pump in (i.e. use a low voltage unit which can be plugged into an indoor or outdoor socket as required) then an electrician’s services will not be necessary.

There are thousands of different styles of water feature you can go for: natural gardens can work best with wildlife ponds surrounded with pebbles, flat paddle stones, or gravel.  Modern or formal gardens look good with clean edging such as a limestone or slate.  With all water features consideration needs to be given to safety and practicality, particularly where they relate to children, pets, and wildlife.

If you want a garden pond mainly for it’s reflective qualities, use dark pond liner or cover the inside with black tiles or paint.  Walkways across water always create drama and excitement and can lend a sense of journey to a garden.

A water feature can be a trial for a garden designer or landscaper, as the behaviour of water is bound by its physical properties and doesn’t necessarily do what you wanted it to do.  It is always worthwhile, if attempting to build a water feature yourself, to keep things as simple as possible. It can be very difficult to make a natural water feature fit with its surroundings and there is a danger it will end up looking incongruous and out of place.  Always place your water feature within clear view of the house, to act as a garden focal point, or near outside seating or dining areas to aid relaxation. It can also work well placed at the end of a path, especially one covered by an arch or pergola, as the feature can help guide the eye through the garden.

Lighting a water feature can help transform and illuminate your garden at night.  Water lit from underneath can create great shadows against a wall. When choosing your water feature, consider how best to light it to get the maximum potential out of the feature when the sun goes down.

Flowers, paint or foliage are not the only way to add colour and interest to your garden. Flags are a wonderful way to add not only colour, but texture and movement into you outdoor space. Consider hanging bunting from tree boughs, or even across a garden. Windsocks, flags and banners will introduce height to an otherwise flat space. Try sticking to trusted garden design principles by using rhythm in your selection, such as groupings of 3 poles, or a symmetrical pattern.

Bunting is so easy to make and great fun for children to get involved with as well.

1) Draw a triangle on some cardboard and cut it out to use as a template.
2) Pin the template to your fabric and cut around it using pinking shears to avoid fraying. Repeat until you have enough flags.
3) Evenly space the flags along the bias binding tape, folding the shortest edge over, and pin in place.
4) Sew on the flags with a straight stitch, leaving at least 40cm of tape free from flags at each end for hanging.

So simple. Why not try making waterproof bunting from plastic sheeting, rubble sacks or oil cloths?

No matter how small your garden space is, including a herb garden in the planting scheme is a rewarding and exciting idea. My interest in gardens as an adult stemmed from a herb garden Matt built for me on the sloping roof outside the kitchen window of the first floor flat in West London we rented when we first left university. We didn’t have a garden and really wanted to grow a few plants outdoors – this was the perfect solution. Easy to care for and suited to a compact space, herbs are the perfect answer for a productive horticultural experience in small space gardening.

Humans have used herbs for food and medicine for all of recorded history. Gardeners in ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome all included them in their courtyard plots or in containers to have them close at hand.

In Europe during the Renaissance, the knowledge of early civilizations was coming to light through texts and manuscripts. There was a great interest in useful plants, and herbs were collected, classified and studied as never before. Physic Gardens - places to grow plants for apothecaries (early pharmacists cum doctors) – were created by some of the most wealthy and influential families of Europe. The first physic garden was built in 1543 at the University in Pisa. Later gardens were created in Padua, Florence and in England. The Chelsea Physic garden, near the banks of the Thames in London, was built by the Royal Society of Apothecaries in 1673. Most of these gardens still exist today and are open to the public.

The idea of having tiny versions of every herb at your fingertips is appealing. Pruning and pinching will keep plants compact and bushy, but some herbs are meant to grow three feet tall. A mini herb garden is a collection of herbs grown in a compact space. Confining the herbs to a small planting bed or to a collection of pots will make your herb garden miniature. Potted herbs grow well both indoors and out with the right amounts of light, water and proper soil.

You can grow herbs in pots on your patio. Multiple herbs in multiple pots is one way, but think even smaller – choose one low, wide-mouthed pot and plant several herbs together in the same pot. If the herbs you choose have the same water, soil and sun requirements, they’ll be perfectly happy to share a pot. For example, chives, basil and parsley will all thrive in the same pot. Or use a strawberry jar. The individual openings can house different herbs while the tower-shape conserves space.

Before you decide on an herb garden design there are a few questions you should ask yourself:

• 1. How much space do you have to set aside for your garden?
• 2. How large do you want your garden to be?
• 3. How much time do you have to dedicate to your garden?
• 4. What herbs do you want to grow?
• 5. What do you intend to use your herbs for?

You might want to start with culinary herbs – the most popular and useful and staple plants would include Parsley, Rosemary, Thyme, Sage, Mint, Oregano and Chives. There are obviously a lot more, but the great thing about herb gardens is you can start small and add to it as you go. If you fancied being more adventurous you could consider doing medicinal and herbs for clothes dying as well. The National Herb Centre is a great source of information on different types of herbs as well as offering a mail order service online.

To give your herb garden a designer feel, why not make it into a decorative feature with herbs as the planting theme. Traditional herb gardens were laid out in geometric patterns. The plants could be organized according to use, botanical relationships, country of origin or appearance. Formal versions in the Elizabethan period in England had neatly clipped herbs in elaborate knot or maze configurations. Later gardeners took a looser, more organic approach, arranging plants in pleasing masses that accentuated color, form and texture. Most have structural elements that contrast with the plantings.

So how to design your herb garden – what to construct it from?

Consider re-cyled junk – see our earlier article on this, old crates, old tin cans, use a herb wheel (like a cartwheel), make a herb spiral, make the herb bed like a patchwork quilt and make a feature of it, using old shoes, hats or crockery.

Consider the location of your herb garden, as this will determine what herbs you can grow. Some herbs require full sunshine to thrive. The most important thing to look at in the design of your herb garden is the colour and texture of the plants ( there are plenty to choose from ) and using these qualities combined with repetition will guarantee you a beautiful (and tasty) display years to come.

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Raised beds are a good way to add form and structure to your garden. They can be constructed a variety of materials, from bricks or blocks to timber materials such as railway sleepers, wooden stakes and even old pallets. The beauty of raised beds is they do add an extra dimension to your garden and can also help to height to an otherwise two dimensional space. Once erected, depending on the material used, you can paint them, tile theme, cover them and if you use gabions (strong, wire-mesh boxes), you can even grow plants through them or fill them with just about any decorative material you like.

This is how to construct a simple raised bed from pallets:

Collect old wood shipping pallets. Many shops, builders merchants and other places of business get their products delivered on wooden pallets, which they may be willing to give away, especially if the pallets are damaged. Factories and your local refuse tip are other good places to pick up a free pallet or two. Hardwood pallets will look nicer and may last longer, but a softwood pallet will do just as well – a coat of timber preservative or wood stain will help keep them in good condition.

Carefully dismantle the pallet with a crowbar or claw hammer, taking care to avoid injury on the exposed nails. Some pallets will be very well made, so to avoid damaging the timber when prying the boards apart, you can saw the boards at either end to aid your demolition job.

Trim any damaged, splintering or rough ends of the boards with a saw.

Sort the wood into similar sized pieces. You will be using the boards to build squares or rectangles that are two board-widths tall. As an example, let’s say we are building a raised bed that is four feet long and two feet wide, so we will need four four-foot boards and four two-foot boards, plus additional pieces for to cut to size for reinforcements.

Lay two boards flat on the ground side by side and measure their combined width. Use a saw to cut a piece of wood that long. This will be the timber you use to fix and reinforce the panels. Nail the reinforcement board across the two boards flush with the edge at each end. Repeat this process to create enough panels to build your bed.

Arrange the sections to create a rectangle, making sure a reinforced end is on the inside of each corner

Nail the sections together, driving the nail through the reinforcement plank.

Line the inside of the walls of the bed with tough plastic sheeting to protect them from water and prevent soil from leaking through the joins.

Lay the raised bed on the ground and fill it with a soil and compost mix. Finally, plant it with garden plants of your choice.

Of course, a raised bed has many advantages beyond not having to do much prep work at the beginning of the season. The soil dries out quicker in spring, and it warms faster than regular garden beds. If you choose to build your raised beds out of bricks or blocks you may need to get the help of a professional. Remember you must dig good deep footings and fill them with concrete before you can start building.

As much as I try and deny it I am a hoarder. I can’t help it. My Mum is the same. Her collection of tupperware, old jars, Chinese take away cartons and used margarine boxes is second to none. She keeps everything! Things get used over and over again – it’s the ultimate in recycling. Add to that her passion for collecting things – old bits and pieces of china, glassware, boxes, cutlery, and on occasion the odd piece of furniture – and I grew up surrounded by an eclectic mix of treasures and junk. I am not quite as much of an eco warrior, but I do like to consider if things have a second use and that ethos extends into the garden.

So, if you are on a low budget, why not consider using unusual things to plant up your pelargoniums and pot your petunias?  Just remember to follow a few simple rules:

• Clean the items thoroughly with hot water and dish washing liquid and rinse well. This avoids any bacterial problems later.

• Fill pots with fresh peat-free multi-purpose compost or if you’re growing shrubs or long-term plants use a soil-based John Innes compost. There are peat enriched and peat-free versions. Both are easy to re-wet if dry and are heavier than general composts, adding stability to the display.

• Compost can be improved by adding a few water-retaining crystals. These swell up when the compost is watered and act like mini-reservoirs, providing water when the plant needs it.

• Controlled-release fertiliser granules mixed into the compost will feed a plant with a balanced supply of nutrients throughout its growing period.

• Many pots have a single, large drainage hole at their base. To prevent this from becoming blocked with compost, cover with a layer of broken bits of pot (broken bits of polystyrene packaging will work just as well.) When displaying pots on a paved area, such as a patio, raise them off the ground by resting on terracotta feet (or even bricks for very large pots.) This will help water drain freely and prevent a build up of moisture at root level. If your pot doesn’t already have drainage holes in the bottom, it is important to add a few to prevent your plant’s roots from sitting in water, which could be detrimental to its health. Take care to select the right drill bit for the material you are drilling.

• If you are displaying planted food cans or other steel containers on a decorative surface such as paving or decking, stand them on a saucer or pot stand as rust-stains can be unsightly and difficult to remove.

• The other important part of junk-planting is to make sure the plants are going to be proportional to your object. A plant that can reach a 6 foot spread won’t flourish in an old tin can!

•  It’s a little early to plant most seeds outside, but you can get them started in a greenhouse or on a window sill indoors. Stick to 2 or 3 different types of plants in lots of different containers. Trailing plants such as Nasturtiums (the peppery edible leaves and flowers can be used in salad as well) or Ipomoea look great when planted together with something upright, such as Busy Lizzie or even a tomato plant. Herbs are also great planted in this manner.

• You can use just about anything for the container itself, from old shoes and wellies, to large cooking oil drums and old sinks. If you want to follow a theme try planting up a tea party, with old teapots, cups and saucers etc – you could even set it out on a table.

Plant up old shoes and boots for a floral shoe shop display. Old saucepans, pots and pans would make a great theme planted kitchen, especially if you were able to procure an old dresser to arrange them on.

You could even consider larger items and turn your planted junk into a real feature, such as this giant old ‘flower bed’ or this row of planted toilets. The only limit to your planter possibilities is your imagination…

28 Feb 2010

Now is a good time to look at tarting up your tired boundaries before plants get too big and climbers spread themselves out.

Personally I dislike most fence panels and would prefer to use some sort of willow or bamboo screening on a roll as a backdrop to the planting. It’s not as long lasting as fence panels, but attached to your existing fence it provides a good, low cost, ‘quick fix’ and creates a nice aesthetic for your space. It can also add height, and therefore privacy, to an existing boundary.

There are a wide variety of types, styles, heights and suppliers. This is the advice Primrose London give on installation:

Willow screening roll: Ideal for disguising existing fencing or walls.

 See pictures below for best way to attach willow screening.

Available in 4 metre (13ft) long rolls. with a choice of three heights: 1m (3ft 3in) and 1.5m (4ft 11in) and 2m.

Easily attached to existing fences or walls with galvanised wire, cable ties, screws or nails. 

Willow cane cane is strong enough that it can be used to increase the height of an existing fence or wall. For example, if you had a 3ft wall or fence, you could firmly attach the 1.5m roll (4ft 11 inches high) to the existing fence to increase the overall height to 1.5m.

Each roll is made of individual vertical willow canes of varying thickness usually up to 15mm in diameter – see pictures. The vertical canes are tied together with horizontal galvanised wire.

 Pasted from <http://www.primrose-london.co.uk/willow-screening-c-67.html>

When planning your planting design, consider form and textures as well as practical issues such as flowering times and size. The addition of a strong form in contrast to soft planting, such as grasses, can create an eye-catching and dynamic juxtoposition that will really make your garden stand out. There are a number of ways you can achieve this, from interspersing the planting with a selection of ‘found’ objects rescued from boot sales, skips and forgotten cupboards, to growing climbers up willow obelisks. Spheres are a really good way of achieving a designer feel to a garden and can be found in a variety of materials. They also work particularly well in repetition or groups.

 

 

 

What You’ll Need:

• Inflatable ball
• Vaseline
• Chicken wire (fine gauge)
• Cement (low aggregate)
• Tie wire
• Snips
• Old rags
• Liquid dish soap
• Cement pigment (if desired)

Step 1:

Blow up your inflatable ball. The inflatable ball should be the approximate size that you want your concrete sphere. Beach balls and exercise balls work well. Once the ball is inflated, coat the entire surface with Vaseline, use liberally as this coating will be what will allow you to withdraw the ball from your sphere when you are done.

              
Step 2:

Wrap the ball in a layer of chicken wire as tightly as you can. It is up to you if you leave the opening to the sphere free of chicken wire now or cut it out later. However, make sure that you plan for the opening to be in the same place as the plug for your inflatable ball so you can easily deflate it when the time comes.

   
Step 3:

Cut about 20 pieces of three-inch tie wire and pass each wire under the chicken wire, twist it once so it is tight to the chicken wire and then pull the ends away from the ball. Do this every five inches around the ball. In the end you should have a ball that looks like it has spikes or cactus needles coming out of it.

     
Step 4:

Mix a small batch of concrete. You want your concrete to be almost in a slurry form, more of a batter texture than clumpy. Coat the ball with your concrete slurry, just enough to cover the chicken wire, but don’t worry if any is still showing. Let the concrete dry for about 45 minutes, depending on the climate you are in.

    
Step 5:

Wrap your concrete sphere in chicken wire again twisting the tie wires to hold it in place and pulling the ends out so they are like spikes again. Mix another batch of concrete and coat the ball again. Allow time to dry.

    
Step 6:

Repeat Step 5 three more times. On the last layer of chicken wire, bend the ends of the tie wires down and back through the wire so they do not poke up. Coat the sphere with a final layer of concrete, using slightly more then you did on the previous layers. Let the sphere sit overnight to cure.

   
Step 7:

Deflate the ball inside your sphere and pull it out through the opening. Clean out the Vaseline inside the ball with some old rags and dish soap and you are ready to fill your sphere with potting soil and plant your flowers.